I love sketches!

I love a good sketch.  I found one at Scrap Our Stash Challenge Blog.


December Sketch & Stash Challenge #21: Use the sketch as inspiration for your layout AND use as much product from your stash.

Here is my take on the challenge:

#1: I love this sketch so much that I hardly changed it.  My son's 2011 Christmas Morning photos fit perfect with the design.

#2: All my product for this layout came from my stash.  Most of it is Crate Paper's DIY Shop Line.  I love how it gave a vintage feel to my photos.

Do you use product from your older stash frequently? Or do you stick with the new stuff?

Mee-Mee, Our Elf on the Shelf and a CSI Challenge

Christmas is my favorite holiday.  Even as a young child, I waited impatiently for this magical season to arrive.  I call my husband "Clark Griswald" during the holiday season, because he loves Christmas just as much as I do.  Our son is 3, and every year becomes more and more exciting.  He is understanding the whole Santa Claus thing and getting into all the Christmas magic.

Last year, Santa sent a special elf to spend the holidays with us.  My son, at 2 years old, named him Mee-Mee.  Maybe not the most thoughtful name, but cute none the less.  Mee-Mee is an interesting little elf.  He looks over us all day long and watches every little move we make. (kinda creepy).  When we sleep, he flies all the way to the north pole and reports our behavior to Santa Claus.  Before we wake, he flies back home and "usually" positions himself in a new spot in our home.  In the morning, my son searches the house until he finds him (the fun part).  The only important rule is to not touch him or he could "loose his magic".  Simple enough.  When Christmas Eve comes around, he flies back to the North Pole with Santa until next year.  Do you know what's crazy?  I actually miss him.  He's only been gone for a few days, but I miss his creepy little elf eyes looking at me like I've done something wrong. I'll get over it.  See you next year Mee-Mee!

Here's CSI's current Challenge Case #150:

Here's the Layout I created as a Guest Designer:

Here are the clues I followed for the case challenge:

The Scene:  I was inspired by the elves in the inspiration picture.
The Scheme:  I used all five colors.
Evidence:  I used stripes, arrows, holiday accents, decorative borders, string, branches, and labels.
Testimony:  I documented the holidays and wrote my journaling in a How-to format.

1 Layout - 2 Challenges

This is the first time I've ever done this.  I combined two separate challenges and made one layout.

The first challenge was from The Studio Challenges Blog.  The Challenge is "Childhood Memories" which meant to find an old childhood photo with a story behind it.

The second challenge I participated in was for Stuck Sketches Blog.    I am participating in the December 15th sketch:

This sketch is totally "me".  It has a lot of white space, tight layers, and tons of room for embellishing.

He is my take on the fabulous sketch:

As you can see, I stuck pretty closely with the sketch.  I added a few additional layers to create more dimension and crammed in a bunch of embellishments including: rub-ons, emphera, wood veneer, stamping, doilies, puffy stickers, resin stars, and gray ink splatters.  

Lets go over the photos, shall we?  The challenge was for "Childhood Memories" photos with a story behind it.  The photos were taken by my mom on Christmas Morning 1989.  The photos actually show two very important Christmas Memories:  

#1: The pajamas:  My mom always picked out the most festive Christmas PJ's which we opened Christmas Eve Night.  It was always something I looked forward to as a child, and she actually did this up until I moved out of the house in my 20's.  I try and pass on this tradition to my son every year. 

#2 The stocking: "Santa" was the King when it came to my family's stocking stuffers. We always had candy and little gifts wrapped up individually like: lotions, toothbrushes, toothpaste, nail files, make-up, little toys, PEZ dispensers, and basically anything that would fit in the stocking.  I also try to pass this tradition on to my son and his christmas stocking.

Want are some of your childhood memories that you pass on in your life today?

Working with a Sketch

Every Sunday,  Studio Calico has a Sketch Challenge.

Every Sunday I participate in the Sketch Challenge.

Here is the layout sketch from last Sunday:

When I first started scrapping, I rarely used sketches.  I thought of it as cheating, like it meant that I wasn't being creative enough or something.  Truth be told, maybe I am being less creative when I use a sketch, but I don't really care.  If I am being too critical of myself and my creativity, I suck all the joy out of my favorite hobby.  What I like to do is keep it simple.  When I sit down to create and I don't have a clear vision of what I want to do, I reach for my folder of sketches.  I refuse to sit there and rack my brain for an original idea for hours.  I simply flip through my folder of sketches a pick one.  That's it.  Simple.

Here is my take on the sketch:

For this layout, I stuck to the ordinal sketch pretty closely because I loved it.  Sometimes when I use a sketch, it looks nothing like it.  I normally use sketches for inspiration instead of a blueprint.  But because I liked last week's sketch so much, I used it more like a blueprint for my design.  

Do you like to use sketches? Or do you think of sketches as cheating?  

Using Flowers and Pink on BOY Pages

 In the beginning of my scrapbooking hobby,  my BOY pages were kept masculine.  However, I am drawn to girly crafting supplies. I love pink papers, flowers, hearts, diamonds, glitter, basically.........anything that screams girly girl.  So, here's the problem with that:  I live in a house filled with boys. Well......except for one of our dogs.  Those beautiful girly papers and dainty little doilies would call my name and beg for me to use them.......but I resisted the urge because I thought it just wasn't right to use them with pictures of my son and husband.  And I usually only scrap photos of them because I'm behind the camera 99% of the time.

I don't remember the exact date that I caved in.  I threw all my rules out the window and just went crazy.  The photos of my husband and son were no longer safe.

They were getting GIRLI-fied.  (sorry boys):

Let me just tell you:  I've been having so much more fun with my new "NO RULES" mindset.  My creativity took on a whole new meaning.  I didn't feel trapped in a "boring masculine-only" box.  I am finally free.

The Studio Calico Blog has Challenges hosted by members  in their Message Forums.  For December's LOAW #4  (use pink) I made a layout:

Do use use feminine touches on your boy layouts?

Take the Challenge! CSI Case File #149

Do you participate in any scrapbook challenges?  My favorite challenge site, CSI, has a fun Case File going on right now.

Case File #149:

The reason I love CSI challenges so much is because they really push my creativity.  They make me think outside of my personal style and always end up create something I love.  

Here is the layout I created as a December Guest Designer:

Winter Fun -By: Andrea

Before jumping into the challenge, check out how the challenge works.  It's so much fun and I highly recommend playing along.  

Stuck?! Scrapbook Sketch and a GDT Call

Have you ever checked out Stuck?! Challenge Blog?

I've used their sketches in the past, but never actually participated in their challenges.

Until now.........

Here is the sketch:

Isn't that an amazing sketch?  

I love how they colored each element to make it pop off the page.

It gave me so much inspiration to work with.

Here is my creation:

I kept with the main layout of the sketch and added my own twist.  For instance, I used 2 photos instead of 4 and added more embellishment clusters than the original sketch has.  

The photos are from my third birthday party.  Though I don't remember this particular party, I do remember that my mother always made every party feel so special to me.  She always ordered a large sheet cake, tons of balloons, pretty party hats, and decorations to match.  She sent out invitations and had little goodie bags ready for all the guests.  Her party planning skills are something I try to mimic for my son's parties.  She really could have ran a successful party planning business.  

This sketch challenge was also a GDT Call.  Check out all the details in THIS POST.

Do you remember any of your childhood birthday parties?  What made them feel special?

CSI Layout Feature and January Guest Designer

OOPS, I did it again..............(5 points if you can name that song!)

But seriously, I can't believe it happened again. 

CSI Color Stories Inspiration had another challenge.

Case File S365-9:

I participated in the challenge with this layout:

Cupcakes- By: Andrea

My layout and four others were chosen as the featured Case File Favorites.   The five of us were invited to be Guest Designers (aka Special Deputies) for the month of January.  What an honor this is.  CSI has been so kind to me and has given me a chance to showcase my work.  I couldn't be happier.  Their website is bursting at the seams with inspiration and challenges.  

Studio Calico Blog: a Sketch and a Challenge

I played along with two Studio Calico Blog challenges this week.  First up is the Sunday Sketch  challenge:

I choose the scrapbook sketch to inspire me this week:

Now, this sketch is a bit out of my comfort zone, but I went for it anyway:

Though not my normal style of scrapping, I am really pleased with how it turned out.  I like how nothing really makes sense with my layout, but for some reason, comes together perfectly.  Funny how that works out.

Studio Calico's Weekly Challenge is to use tons of layers.  I am the Queen of Layering, well, self-appointed Queen.  

Here is my take on the Weekly Challenge:

I went crazy with my layering.  Behind my photo, I used: copy paper, patterned paper, project life cards, doilies, and die cuts.  I don't follow any design principles when I scrap.  I just stick stuff in places where I think it looks good.  To finish off my layout, I added wood veneer, enamel dots, white mist splatters, and a few other embellishments.  

For both of the challenges I used Studio Calico's Park Ave. Kits.  This has been my favorite kit since Camelot. I love how every piece works together.  

What challenges have you been taking part in?  I would love to here all about it.

Photo Inspired Scrapbook Page

The Scrap Our Stash Challenge Blog is having a photo inspiration stash challenge.  

Here's the photo:

The Rules:  You must create a layout using this photo to inspire you.  It can be anything from color, theme, food, using circles, etc.  ANYTHING that inspires you.  

AND

You must also use something from your stash that sparkles- glitter, bling, sequins, glitter, stickles, etc.

You can get to the challenge HERE.

I was very inspired by the photo.  The first thing that caught my eye was the color scheme.  The photo made me think of the Holidays and being with a group of family and friends.  Then,  I liked how the photo was very centered on the object.  

Here's my layout:

I followed the same color scheme as in inspiration picture.  Since the inspiration picture reminded me of holidays with family & friends, I chose a photo of me and my husband at a holiday parade.  We went with a large group of friends and family and had a wonderful time.  Also, I kept my layout very centered and in line, just like the glass mugs in the photo.  I added two items that sparkle-  silver glitter wash tape (along the patterned paper background) and I added silver sequins.  

This was a great challenge.  I love using a photo for inspiration.  Where do you find inspiration?  I would love for you to share!

Christmas Tradition Scrapbook Page Challenge

With a 3 year old son, our family is starting quite a few new Christmas Traditions.  Some of them are passed down from my husband and I's childhood, and some we are just starting with our new family.  

The Moose Lodge Kids Holiday Party is a new tradition we started just last year.  The Moose Lodge is a place a few islands up from our island, that has a huge Holiday bash including, pizza, cookies, a wrapped gift, and of course.....Santa's lap.

For this layout, I cut out large chevrons from printed vellum and sewed them to my plain white background.  Then I just layered behind my photo with a doily, copy paper, and patterned paper.  Finally, I stuck some die cuts and journaling cards in between my layers, and finished of with wood veneer shapes.

I did this layout along with the Challenge YOUrself Blog's Challenge #13 "Traditions".

This is the second challenge I've done with this blog.  It's a great place to go for inspiration and I'll definitely be following along from now on.  

Do you follow along with Scrapbook Challenge sites?  Which ones?

Layering with Transparencies

This month's Studio Calico Kits were overflowing with transparencies.  I love transparencies, but I sometimes have trouble using them because I love to layer so much and it usually ends up looking to cluttered.  But this time, I did something a little different.   Here is a page I created with this months Studio Calico kits.:

To get the clean, layered look I was after, I simple backed some of the transparencies with copy paper and layered away.    The layer directly on the background I left alone, no copy paper needed.  I added a few buttons, sequins, and a title and my layout was finished.  Very Simple.  

Do you like to layer with transparencies?  Do you have any tips or tricks?  I would love to here from you.

WARNING: My Cat Used My Layout as Her Bed!

I know, I know.......it's my fault, not my cat Lilly's fault.  I left my finished page lying on the dining room table and apparently it looked too cozy for her to pass up.  Lesson learned.  So after I dusted all the white fur from my masterpiece, this is what I'm left with:

It could have been worse.  She could have used it for a scratching post I suppose.  I can deal with a few wrinkles.  Just try to ignore them if at all possible. Okay, moving on..........

I used my Studio Calico Park Ave Kits to create my layout.  It's my favorite kit so far. 

I made this layout with a challenge by Marcy Penner  and Stephanie Bryan called Creative Jumpstarts 05.  They are some of my favorite scrappers ever!  The challenge was to use a BIG title.  Big could mean large letters, many letters in your title, and I suppose you could just use the word BIG.  

Have you used a big title for a project lately?  

Adding Dimension with Paper

I love adding dimension to all of my layouts.  My favorite way to do this is to add a bunch of layers behind my photo.  The first set of layers I add is actually 2-4 sheets of white copy paper behind the photo.  I like this method because it doesn’t take away from the photo and it creates more white on my layout.  I love white.  Then I like to pick a patterned paper to mat the photo and copy paper on.  In this case it was the lime green paper that came in the Studio Calico's Park Ave. kits. After that, I like to have fun and find ways to be creative!  

 Studio Calico's Weekly Challenge was to add dimension using paper.  After my basic layering techniques, I then added more patterned paper from the kit, a PL card, I cut flowers from a patterned paper, cut-out some banners from copy paper scraps, and even used a branding strip as a border along the top.  This challenge was right up my alley.    

A Little Boy's First Christmas

Cole was 9 months old when he celebrated his first Christmas Holiday.  So, of course he had no idea what was going on, but that didn't stop me from decorating every square inch of our home, putting cookies out for santa, and singing Christmas carols through the entire month of December.  It is, by far, my absolute favorite holiday.  I want Cole to experience Christmas the way I did when I was young; the magic of walking down the stairs Christmas morning and seeing the stockings full of goodies and the tree surrounded with a pile of beautifully wrapped packages.  Yes, I am well aware that this is not the meaning of the holiday, but they are my childhood memories.

Cole's first Christmas morning experience was in 2011.  My husband, Kendall carried him down the stairs, where i was waiting impatiently with my camera ready.  He saw me and gave me a smile, not even noticing the huge baby pool next to me, surrounded by presents.  We sat down with him and showed him how to tear the paper off to get to the toy inside. He figured it out pretty quickly and had more fun ripping the paper than anything else.  I look forward to many more holiday years to come with this adorable little boy.

For this layout, I used Studio Calico's Walden Kit and the  Walden Project Life Kit.  The November kits were full of soft colors and gorgeous embellishments, perfect for a winter layout.  I used Studio Calico's Sunday Sketch to create this page.  

CSI December Guest Designer

Scrap-ditali-ocious!  I don't know why that word just popped into my brain.  My brain is so random and it usually thinks like a 7 year old about 50% of the time.  It's fun though.  

Anyway, Guess what? Last night was reveal night for CSI's Challenge- Case File #s365-10.  

Here is what it looks like:

As a Guest Designer (AKA Special Deputy), I created this:

The photo is from Christmas Day 2009.  Me and my husband's first Christmas together.  I made him this really ugly, uneven, itchy, pink blanket.  It was my first crochet project, obviously.  He wrapped himself in it like a tortilla and said that it was the most beautiful blanket that he's ever seen.  Yeah right, but he was very touched that I spent so much time making him a gift.  Bless his heart.  At that moment, I knew we would always be together. 

CSI Feature- Amazing!

OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG!  My layout was featured at CSI Color Stories.  I don't think I could ever get used to seeing my scrapbook pages being shared by others.  I feel so honored and grateful. 

The challenge was Case File #147 and looked like this:

Here was my take on the challenge:

FLY

The photo was taken when Cole, my son, and I went on a trip to my hometown.  He was showing my mom how his toy airplane could fly.  This little moment warmed my heart.  We miss these little everyday nothings with her.  About the layout, I really like how the layout turned out.  I normally wouldn't use this color scheme because, well,  it's not my favorite, but that's exactly why I love CSI.  They push you to try new color pallettes and a variety of techniques.  It also gives me a reason to dig in my stash and see my old products in a whole new light.  The Teresa Collins brads I used were one of the first embellishments I purchased when I started scrapping.  I absolutely love them on this layout.  Okay, now I'm done bragging.  Get to scrapping, won't ya?

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New Layout

Hey scrap happy homies!  Do you know what my absolute favorite day of the month is?  It's "New Kit Day"!  Yesterday was  my Studio Calico "New Kit Day"and my family and friends know all about it.  When I see that beautiful cardboard box sitting outside with all the gorgeous postage marks, I squeal and sprint to it.  I tear it open right away and skim through the goodies.  As soon as I have 20 minutes to spare, I open every little embellishment pack, stamp set, and paper pack and organize it in my "current kit" drawer.  After that, I scrap to my hearts content for the next three days.  What does this means for my family, pets, and friends you might ask?  It means that I completely ignore them if at all possible.  I get in the "scrap zone".  Laundry gets backed up, the daily chores are put on hold, and I hear absolutely nothing going on around me.  My family is lucky if I cook, its much quicker to order out when I'n in the "zone".  The Studio Calico's Park Ave Kit for December is my favorite so far.  This month I got all the main kits, plus ordered two add-on kits: Helmsley and Grand Central.  Yeah, I splurged a little.  But I couldn't help it.  I needed them!  (I have problems)   

Here's my very first layout with this month's kits:

I had so much fun with these die cuts flower that cam in the kit.  Obviously, I have no problem using flowers, doilies, or the color pink on a layout of my son. I also noticed that this year, I'm compelled to use non-traditional colors for Christmas.  Last year I was a pretty festive holiday scrapper.  

Since I'm on this new "scrapbook challenge blog obsession" I used the 9th November- Sketch from The Studio Challenges. I loved this sketch.  It's my style, it's colorful,  and it was really fun to work with

Here's the sketch:

Now,  I need to stop wasting time and get back to my three day "scrap binge".  Have a great weekend!

Challenge YOUrself November Sketch #12

Happy Wednesday everyone!   Last night I was google searching for new scrapbook challenge sites.  I love participating in challenges because it gets my creative juices flowing.  Oh yeah!

I came across a really awesome blog called Challenge YOUrself.  The unique part of this challenge group is you HAVE to scrap a photo of yourself.  It can be a group photo as long as you're in it.  I mostly scrap about my son and family, not myself.  Maybe this blog will help me work on MY album and get those empty pages filled up.

I made this page last night for the November November Sketch Challenge #12.

Here's the sketch:

Here's my take on the sketch challenge:

(Sorry for the phone pic)

Now I'm off to scrap another challenge.  Have a great day!